Sports injuries can be an unfortunate fact of life for athletes. An injury can keep you from doing the things you love and limit your mobility until you heal. Here are four tips to help you recover faster, so you can get back to doing the things you love:
1. Remember RICE.
The acronym RICE stands for "rest, ice, compression, and elevation," and this is a concise treatment plan for dealing with injuries to muscles, tendons, and joints. As much as possible, rest the affected area to allow it time to heal. Apply ice to bring down any swelling and to provide pain relief. Compression will also help to reduce swelling, in addition to increasing blood flow to the area; increased blood flow will quicken the healing process. You can find compression bandages and braces at your local drug store. Lastly, try to keep the affected area elevated above your heart as much as possible. Elevation will help to reduce inflammation.
2. Seek professional help.
If your injury doesn't show signs of getting better in a couple days, make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor can examine you and send you to an orthopedic care services clinic if necessary. X-rays and a manual exam will let the doctors know if something is broken or fractured. If you have broken a bone, you may need to wear a cast and avoid using the affected limb until it's fully healed. If you live alone, you may want to utilize a nursing care service until you're feeling better. A nurse can help you bathe and do rehabilitation exercises until you're able to do those things on your own.
3. Ease back into activities.
A loss of mobility is frustrating, and it's tempting to jump back into all your prior activities as soon as you're able. It's important to wait until your doctor says you're well enough to perform strenuous activities. You may start to feel better long before your body is fully healed. Rushing the healing process is a good way to re-injure yourself and set your healing back weeks or even months. If you'd like to exercise, look for low-impact alternatives and check with your doctor first.
4. Prevent future injuries.
Prevention is better than a cure. Keep yourself healthy by stretching thoroughly before and after you exercise. Make sure to include warm up and cool down periods in your workouts. This will help to keep your muscles limber and protect your joints from injury. If you feel any kind of joint pain during exercise, stop immediately. Never try to "push through" joint pain, since it's a sign from your body that something is wrong. Listen to your body's cues at all times.
No one likes to be out of commission due to an injury, but you can get back in the game faster by taking care of yourself. These tips will help you treat your sport injury safely and effectively.
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